Paris Saint-Germain are closing in on the signing of Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye, sources have confirmed to ESPN FC.
The Ligue 1 champions tried unsuccessfully to sign the Senegal international back in January but look likely to get their man this time.
According to ESPN FC sources, PSG and Everton are in advanced talks over Gueye and very close to agreeing a fee of around €32 million that could eventually rise closer to €40 million through bonuses.
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A long-term contract of at least four years awaits the 29-year-old at Parc des Princes, and the Ligue 1 giants want the deal done by the end of the week so that Gueye can go on holiday after being part of the Senegal squad that was defeated in the Africa Cup of Nations final last week.
Assuming PSG complete the signing of Gueye this week, the former Aston Villa and Lille man will not join his teammates in China for preseason, but should arrive in the French capital just in time for the start of the new Championnat campaign.
Les Parisiens' sporting director, Leonardo, who has stayed in France to concentrate on transfer dealings while the squad has travelled to China to continue preseason preparations, admitted over the weekend that Gueye's arrival is a "possibility."
Gueye spoke with coach Thomas Tuchel, as well as chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi in January, sources told ESPN FC, and that contact has never stopped since.
Everton coach Marco Silva praised the midfielder for his professional attitude after his dream January move did not happen.
"Idrissa is still our player. If we lose him, of course we need to replace him," said the Portuguese manager. "We are talking about somebody who plays almost every match for us.
"Honestly, although it was a fantastic opportunity for him [in January], Idrissa's behaviour after this period was very good -- even if his dream did not come true. He always gives 100 percent and does his best.
"At that time, he told me that he had his dream, but for us, as a club, it was really hard to lose a player like him at that moment. I think we made the right decision. He went on to prove us right with what was, for me, his best season with Everton."
Silva expressed his hope that Gueye could be persuaded to stay with Everton and rejected the idea that Fabian Delph has been added as a replacement, but sources are confident that he will soon be a PSG player.
"We will see what the transfer window brings for Idrissa," Silva said. "We are here to make the best decisions for us as a football club. I must speak with him and show him how important he is to us.
"Idrissa and Fabian are completely different players. Idrissa plays a role, while Fabian can also play there, but has not come to replace Idrissa. If a transfer materialises, we will have to replace Idrissa -- that is not why we signed Fabian, though."
The PSG squad flew out to China on Tuesday ahead of friendlies against Inter Milan and Sydney FC before the Trophee des Champions clash with Rennes in Shenzhen for the first piece of silverware this new term.
Neymar, who remains confident of a Barcelona return this summer, is present in China with his the club but did not take part in Tuchel's first collective training session since their arrival.